Be Ready Always

𝐍𝐎𝐕. 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 (𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭)

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝐈𝐬𝐚 𝟐:𝟏-𝟓

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬 𝟏𝟐𝟐:𝟏-𝟗 “𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.”

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐈: 𝐑𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟏-𝟏𝟒

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓 𝟐𝟒:𝟑𝟕-𝟒𝟒

𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: “𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚!” (𝒗.44) 

        As we go through life you will have realized that you may be expending so much energy just trying to make a living and there’s nothing wrong with that. We need to work if we want to eat and that is biblical. But what comes as a matter of great concern is that we may be working too hard so that we are forgetting the reason why we are working in the first place.

        A study was recently conducted of how a person whose life expectancy is placed at 75 years will have spent his life. The study showed that 68% is spent on work. 22% will be spent on education. 14% will be spent on vacation while only a minuscule one per cent will be spent in the church.

        Not only that. If you are going to measure the amount of energy that is expended in preparing for a school examination, buying a new or used car, building a house or moving to a new condo or apartment, moving to a new job, planning a wedding, an anniversary or even such earthy matters like choosing a new pair of shoes or the latest apparel, you will notice that we are exerting and expending so much energy on matters that will not matter when the time to meet our Creator comes.

         Because of the rapid increase in secularism, people nowadays have become so engrossed with temporal concerns such that the average person today have a tendency to forget that there is also a need to prepare the self spiritually and place in the same degree of importance as those mundane concerns to prepare for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

         The need to prepare for the coming of Our Lord and Master of which we do not know the day, or the hour is at the heart of this passage today which marks the First Sunday of Advent which also ushers in the beginning of the new Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church.

         Since we are officially commemorating the beginning of the new Liturgical Year, the First Sunday of Advent can be considered as a New Year Celebration, and it wouldn’t at all be uncanny if we greet each one a Happy New Year for this is what it really is for our Church.

         In this Season of Advent which means “coming” we are called upon to anticipate with the patriarchs of the Old Testament the coming of the long-expected Messiah. And the four weeks of Advent represent the 4,000 years of waiting the Jews spent for the coming of the Messiah although Jesus wasn’t exactly the kind of conquering savior that the Jews expected.

        What most of us may not be aware of is that the Advent Season has two dimensions. While we do await with great expectation the first coming of Jesus Christ, Advent is also a period of waiting for his second coming. The 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟓𝟐𝟒 says: “𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠. (𝐑𝐞𝐯 𝟐𝟐:𝟏𝟕) 𝐁𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞: “𝐇𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.” (𝐉𝐧 𝟑:𝟑𝟎)

         And in this period of preparation, the lay faithful is asked to go into prayer and fasting as we go about our lives while waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Live, Wait, Pray are what we are supposed to do in this season and in this period of anticipation these are the three conditions that we should find ourselves in while waiting for the coming of our Savior. The fact that the Church strongly urges us to fast and pray also turns the Advent Season into a “semi-lenten” season.

         In the Gospel passage today, Jesus told a story that the Jews are familiar with because this is normally the custom in those days when rich landowners go on a journey and leave their possessions and their business to their servants. And while we have heard of parables relating to unprofitable servants, most servants in this situation looked forward to the time their master would return because they know they will be rewarded for their vigilance and hard work. In contrast, punishment that could be tragic await those who did not prepare well.

         The fact that Jesus said in this passage that we do not know the day or the hour of his coming means that we must stay alert by praying, reading the Word of God and live by its instructions, doing corporal works of mercy, alms-giving, going to Mass as frequently as possible if not on a daily basis, hearing confession and receiving the Holy Eucharist often.

         Our marching orders as disciples of Christ is to believe and obey the Gospel and watch for the greatest event that is to come – the coming of our Savior and his return when he comes again in glory at the end of age. Because we do not know the day or the hour, Our Lord wants us to prepare and watch because those who will have enough oil in their lamps when he comes will be rewarded.  

        The Lord not only wants us to remain vigilant, but he wants us to have an active prayer life and in this First Sunday of Advent, the Church expects us to pray not only for those with physical disabilities but also for those who look after them.

         When we can pray with utmost sincerity this verse from the Lord’s Prayer: “𝐓𝐡𝐲 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐓𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧” (𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟔:𝟏𝟎) it means that we have already subordinated our own human will to his Holy Will. Then and only then will we be ready when he comes.  

         One of the ways in which we can show our readiness when he comes is for us to step up in faith and do what we are being told to do by the Church. You will recall that in his first encyclical, Pope Francis released his first letter of exhortation to the Church titled – 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐢 𝐆𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 or 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥.

         In his exhortation, Pope Francis stressed three things that the Catholic lay faithful should and must do. These are: (𝟏) 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞; (𝟐) 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝; (𝟑) 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭.        

         It is thus incumbent upon all baptized Catholics to “𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮.” (𝐌𝐭 𝟐𝟖:𝟏𝟗-𝟐𝟎) and we should not vacillate in responding to this mandate because he assures us of his presence “𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞.” (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 – 𝘕𝘰𝘷. 30, 2025)